Placing28 Mar 2024 07:06
Sareum Holdings plc (AIM: SAR), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation kinase inhibitors for autoimmune disease and cancer, announces that it has completed a conditional fundraise of up to £1.5 million (before expenses), via the issue of a total of up to 15,000,000 new ordinary shares of 1.25 pence each in the capital of the Company ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 10 pence per new
Ordinary Share (the "Placing Price") (the "Fundraise").
The Fundraise will comprise the issue, at the Placing Price, of: · 9,550,000 new Ordinary Shares via a placing (the "Placing Shares") through the Company's broker, Hybridan LLP (the "Placing"); · up to 2,255,000 new Ordinary Shares via a direct subscription (the "Subscription Shares") by certain high net worth individuals (the "Subscription"); · 195,000 new Ordinary Shares via a subscription by certain Directors of the Company (the "Director Subscription"); and · up to 3,000,000 new Ordinary Shares via a retail offering (the "WRAP
Retail Offer") to the Company's existing shareholders, which will be launched shortly, to raise up to £300,000.
In addition, the Company will issue, based on the Placing Price, 576,698 new
Ordinary Shares in lieu of amounts owed to certain Directors from historically deferred salaries (the "Salary Conversion Shares") and 450,000 new Ordinary
Shares to certain advisers to settle amounts due in respect of professional fees (the "Adviser Fee Shares").
As a result of the Fundraise, 1,106,986 warrants over new Ordinary Shares that have been issued to RiverFort Global Opportunities PCC Ltd ("Riverfort") as part of the drawdowns to date under the Equity Prepayment Facility (as announced on 3 August 2023), have had their exercise price rebased to the
Placing Price in accordance with the terms of the agreement entered into at the time of the Equity Prepayment Facility. The Company does not intend to make any further withdrawals pursuant to the Equity Prepayment Facility with
RiverFort.
Use of Proceeds and Cash Preservation
The net proceeds from the Fundraise are intended to be used by the Company to complete Phase 1a clinical studies on its SDC-1801 TYK2/JAK1 inhibitor ("Phase 1a") and, together with the receipt of anticipated R&D tax credits in the amount of £0.7 million which is expected in September 2024, for general working capital purposes.
Furthermore, as part of the Company's ongoing steps to minimise its cash utilisation, in addition to the Salary Conversion, the Directors have agreed to defer a portion of their salaries going forward, so as to ensure the completion of Phase 1a clinical trial can be achieved, with topline data from the trial expected in Q2 2024.
Director Subscription, Salary Conversion and Related Party Transactions
Pursuant to the Director Subscription, Tim Mitchell, CEO, and Clive Birch,
Non-Executive Director, intend to participate in the Fundraise, via direct subscriptions of £5,000 and £4,500 respectivel